Poly(vinylidene halide) latices, including vinyl chloride polymer latices, are normally prepared by an emulsion polymerization process wherein the vinyl chloride monomer is polymerized with a free radical forming catalyst in water in the presence of water soluble emulsifiers. Emulsifiers used on a commercial basis to make large volumes of polyvinyl chloride latices are normally anionic materials. Typical anionic emulsifiers include alkali metal or ammonium salts of the sulfates of alcohols having from 8 to 18 carbon atoms such as sodium lauryl sulfate; ethanolamine lauryl sulfate and ethylamine lauryl sulfate; alkali metal and ammonium salts of sulfonated petroleum and paraffin oils; sodium salts of sulfonic acids such as dodecane-1-sulfonic acid and octadiene-1-sulfonic acid; aralkyl sulfonates such as sodium isopropyl benzene sulfonate, sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate and sodium isobutyl naphthalene sulfonate; alkali metal and ammonium salts of sulfonated dicarboxylic acid esters such as sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate, disodium-n-octadecyl sulfosuccinamate; alkali metal or ammonium salts of the free acid of complex organic mono- and diphosphate esters; and the like.
While the use of these emulsifiers has resulted in vinylidene latices of varying utility and stability, there are many latex applications where anionic emulsifiers cause problems and are undesirable. Typical problems are lack of stability when compounding materials are added to the latex that effect the emulsifying activity of the emulsifiers and result in instability, and often cause undesirable coagulation. Lack of mechanical stability of latices in spray operations is often a problem. Further, the films and polymers of such latices are often water sensitive, deficient in desirable electrical properties, lack adhesion to certain substrates, foam excessively, and the like. A method for polymerizing vinylidene halide monomers in water in the absence of the usual anionic emulsifiers that would provide stable latices is desired.